End-of-chapter questions

1.Which one of the following cell structures can be seen with a light microscope?

A. mitochondrion
B. ribosome
C rough ER
D smooth ER

2. The use of electrons as a source of radiation in the electron microscope allows high resolution to be
achieved because electrons:

A are negatively charged.

B can be focused using electromagnets.
C have a very short wavelength.
D travel at the speed of light.

3. Which one of the following structures is found in animal cells, but not in plant cells?

A centriole
B chloroplast
C Golgi apparatus
D cell surface membrane

4. Copy an complete the following table, which compares light microscopes with electron microscopes.
Some boxes have been filled in for you.

Feature Light microscope Electron microscope

Source of radiation light electrons
Wavelength of radiation About 5 nm About 0.005 nm
Maximum resolution 0.5 nm in practice
Lenses Glass glass
Specimen living Non-leaving or dead
Stains Coloured dyes No stains
Image coloured colored

5. List ten structures you could find in an electron micrograph of an animal cell which would be absent
form the cell of a bacterium.
Golgi body
Smooth er
chromosomes
Cell membrane
Mitochondria
Ribosome
Dna
Rna
6. Advice on answering question 6: If you are asked to distinguish between two things, it is likely that it
is because they have certain things in common and that they may even be confused with each other. In
your answer it is helpful where relevant to point out similarities a well as differences. Remember that
for organelles there may be differences in both structure and function.

Distinguish between the following pairs of terms:

a magnification and resolution

Magnification is how much it can be zoomed into while reolution is the quality of the image w
b light microscope and electron microscope
c nucleus and nucleolus
d chromarin and chromosome
e membrane and envelope
f smootth ER and rough ER
g prokaryote and eukaryote
h tissue and organ (include one example of each in an animal and in a plant)
i xylem and phloem
j epidermis and epithelium
k palisade mesophyll and spongy mesophyll

7 List:
a three organelles each lacking a boundary membrane
b three organelles each bounded by a single membrane
c three organelles each bounded by two membranes (an envelope).

8 Identify each cell structure or organelle from its description below.

a manufactures lysosomes
b manufactures ribosomes
c site of protein synthesis
d can bud off vesicles which form the Golgi apparatus
e can transport newly synthesised protein round the cell
f manufactures ATP in animal and plant cells
g controls the activity of the cell, because it contains the DNA
h carries out photosynthesis
i can act as a starting point for the growth of spindle microtubules during cell division
j contains chromatin
k partially permeable barrier only about 7 nm thick

1 organelle about 25 nm in diameter

9 The electron micrograph shows part of a secretory cell from the pancreas. The secretory vesicles are
Golgi vesicles and appear as dark round structures. The magnification is x 8 000.

a Copy and complete the table. Use a ruler to help you find the actual sizes of the structures. Give your
answers in micro metres.
 Structure Observed diameter (measured with ru Actual siz
ler) e

maximum diameter of a Golgi vesicle

maximum diameter of nucleus
maximum length of the labelled mitochond
rion
[9]

b Make a fully labelled drawing of representative parts of the cell. You do not have to draw everything,
but enough to show the structures of the main organelles. Use a full page of plain paper and a sharp
pencil. Use Figures 1.16 and 1.17 in this book and the simplified diagram in d below to help you identify
the structures. [14]

c The mitochondria in pancreatic cells are mostly sausage-shaped in

three dimensions. Explain why some of the mitochondria in
the EM appear roughly circular. [
1]
d The figure below shows a diagram based on an electron micrograph of a secretory cell from
the pancreas.
This type of cell is specialised for secreting (exporting) proteins. Some of the proteins are
digestive enzymes of the pancreatic juice. The cell is very active, requiring a lot of
energy. The arrows show the route taken by the protein molecules.
i Describe briefly what is happening at each of the stages A, B, C and D. [8]
ii Name one molecule or structure which leaves the nucleus by route E. [1]
iii Through which structure must the molecule or structure you named in ii pass to get through the
nuclear envelope? [1]
iv Name the molecule which leaves the mitochondrion in order to
provide energy for this cell.
[1]

[Total: 35]
10 One technique used to investigate the activity of cell organelles is
called differential centrifugation. In this technique, a tissue is homogenised (ground in a
blender), placed in tubes and spun in a centrifuge. This makes
organelles sediment (settle) to the bottom of
the tubes. The larger the organelles, the faster they sediment. By repeating the process at faster speeds,
the organelles can be separated from each other according to size.
Some liver tissue was treated in this way to
separate ribosomes, nuclei and mitochondria. The centrifuge was spun at 1000g, 10 000g or 100 000g
('g' is gravitational force).

a In which of the three sediments - 1000 g, 10 000 g or 100 000 g

- would you expect to find the following?
i ribosomes
ii nuclei
iii mitochondria

b Liver tissue contains many lysosomes. Suggest why this makes it difficult to
study mitochondria using the differential centrifugation technique.